The Lost Valentine - An Epilogue
by bk-1205
Summary: This story centers around Lucas Thomas and Susan Allison but reflects the legacy that Caroline and Neil, Sr. left to their family. This is an epilogue to the movie. If you haven't seen the movie, this short does include implied spoilers. Hope you enjoy it! BTW, the movie is scheduled to air on Hallmark Channel, Sat, Feb. 9, 2013 at 7 pm and Sun, Feb. 10, 2013 at 2:57 pm.


**A/N:** A version of what happened after the credits rolled. A short of the Thomas family, whom I fell in love with watching the movie. I own nothing but this story, Sarah Allison, Douglas Neil and Sarah Caroline Thomas. The other characters belong to the Hallmark Channel. By the way, "The Lost Valentine" is scheduled to air Feb. 9 at 7 pm EST (Hallmark Channel) and Feb 10 at 2:57 pm EST (Hallmark Channel). If you watch, have your tissues ready.

**Summary/SPOILER ALERT**: Before Neil, Sr., went to war, Caroline gave him a valentine, and her heart, that requested he bring her heart back to her. The valentine was returned to her during the movie with a promise that she return Neil, Sr.'s, heart to him. Now, the Thomas family has arrived back at Caroline's house after Neil, Sr.'s body had been transported back to their hometown by train. Susan and Lucas are dancing in the sprinklers in the front yard. Maggie and Neil, Jr., are in the house and Caroline is watering her roses and reminiscing about dancing with Neil, Sr. The water hose falls and the implication is that Caroline has finally brought Neil, Sr.'s heart back to him.

###

Susan giggled as Lucas spun her around in his arms before taking a turn around the sprinkler. The sound of "Dream a Little Dream" reverberated through the open window over the front yard. After a few intricate moves, he dipped her. As he lifted her up, Lucas pressed his lips to hers.

When they had to take a breath, they pulled apart and Lucas touched his forehead to hers.

"You know I meant it about going with you when you go home to see your family," he started. "I want to support you however you need me to."

"I know. You are a 'mender' after all," Susan replied with a smile and pecked him on the lips.

"I only try to 'mend' the people I care about," Lucas answered seriously. "You're definitely one of them." He kissed her.

"Maggie!? Call 911!" Susan heard Lucas' father yell, as Lucas froze for a moment before he let her go and ran for the back of the house.

"Dad, what happened?" Lucas cried when he knelt next to his father and picked up his grandmother's hand.

"Mom collapsed," Neil, Jr. replied holding his mother's head in his lap.

"Ambulance is on the way," Maggie said as she quickly came down the stairs outside the back door placing a hand on her son's shoulder. She glanced over to Susan who was standing just behind Lucas and grabbed her hand.

Hours later, the Thomas's and Susan sat in the waiting room of the ICU waiting until they could visit Caroline. She'd been rushed into the emergency room and according to the doctor who'd come out to talk to them, she hadn't regained consciousness.

"I'm going to get coffee. Can I get anything for anyone?" Susan asked pulling her hand from Lucas, who'd been holding it ever since they arrived at the hospital. The need to move and do something was driving her crazy.

Lucas looked at her with a hint of a smile, before shaking his head. Neil, Jr. mimicked his son's negative response. "I could use some coffee," Maggie replied, rising from her place next to her husband. She kissed him before turning to Susan. "I'll come with you."

Susan glanced over her shoulder as they left Neil and Lucas and she saw their heads together.

"They'll be fine dear," Maggie said placing a hand on her arm.

While they were gone, Maggie and Susan talked about random things like plays they'd both enjoyed or music they liked. They also discussed the guests that had recently been showcased on American Diary. Maggie mentioned having enjoyed the episode featuring the Senator. By the time the two women got back to the waiting room, the men were in with Caroline. Long moments later, Lucas came back with tears in his eyes. Both Maggie and Susan rose from their spot on the sofa.

"Mom, Dad needs you in there," Lucas said quietly, taking his mother's hands in his.

"Lucas?" Maggie was tentative, eyes tearing as she looked into her sons'. Susan knew it couldn't be good and tears filled her eyes.

"Go to Dad," he replied, clutching his mother's hands and pressing a kiss to her cheek, before letting her go.

When she was out of hearing range, Susan moved to his side and he turned pulling her to him and burying his face in her neck. She held him tight as he shuddered running her hand up and down his back, murmuring words of comfort to him. When he pulled back, Susan cupped his face and wiped away his tears with her thumbs gently.

"She's gone."

The next 48 hours were hard. Lucas was devastated that his grandmother was found in her back yard while his parents were in the house and he and Susan were playing in the sprinkler in the front yard. In fact, he blamed himself.

"If I'd been there, maybe she'd still be alive," Lucas said, sitting on the sofa with Susan next to him holding his hand.

"Son," Neil, Jr., started coming into the room from the kitchen with Maggie. "Mom loved Dad more than anyone or anything. She'd been waiting for him all these years. She finally knew what happened to him and we're adults and don't need her to take care of us anymore, she could finally be with him." He'd grabbed Maggie's hand looking into her eyes. "I know that's what I'd want if anything happened to your mother."

"Dad . . . ," he started looking up at his father and mother.

"I know. We'll all miss her very much. But she led a great life. She fell in love with the love of her life and had a perfect year with him. Then she held on to that love for 66 years, she raised his son, had her students and helped to raise their grandson, whom she adored. Few people get that."

"I guess," Lucas conceded, tears filling his eyes. "I just miss her."

"We all do, honey," Maggie replied, grabbing her son's free hand. "Grandma wouldn't want you to blame yourself. She believed in living life to its fullest and taking things as they come. This is one of those things. We just have to face this together." Maggie pulled her son up and into her arms. "I love you, Luc."

"I love you, Mom."

Three days after Caroline's death, a private funeral with family and a few close friends was held. Susan was never more than an arm's length away from Lucas the whole time. He'd teared up briefly at the funeral, but other than the moments of guilt he'd been strong since his initial break down at the hospital.

Susan knew from experience when her father had died that it was only a matter of time before there was another breakdown and she planned to be there for him no matter what. She had taken a few weeks off work to be there for Lucas and the family she'd grown to love over the past months.

"Lucas, let's get something to eat," she said to him as soon as they arrived at her apartment after the funeral.

"I'm not very hungry," he replied sitting on the sofa and leaning back with his eyes closed.

"I know." Susan dropped down beside him and ran her fingers through his hair massaging his scalp. "But you haven't eaten more than a couple of bites in the past two days. We can't have you getting sick." She began to rise from where she sat, but Lucas caught her hand and pulled her back to him.

"Susan . . . "

"No!" Susan's eyes flashed. "If you won't take care of yourself, I'll have to take care of you."

Lucas' eyes softened at her words. "Okay, I'll eat, but first . . .," he trailed off as he leaned into her and with a soft kiss took her breath away. It was magic.

Later, after he'd eaten a light meal of salad and pasta, she made him lay down on the sofa, as he'd been going none stop since Caroline died. Susan sat next to him and held his head in her lap.

"You know, I'm not tired," Lucas said softly. Susan smiled as he tilted his head and pressed his face into her abdomen and fought to keep his eyes open.

"I know," she acknowledged quietly, stroking his hair. "Tell me something about your grandmother that I don't know."

"I don't know where to start," he replied. "She was so much fun when I was growing up. Caroline Thomas was fearless. I loved spending my summers with her. I grew up in New York and we'd spend holidays and vacations with Grandma, but I got to spend a whole month by myself with my grandmother every summer. She would take me horseback riding in the country and we would read the classics together." Susan caught a soft smile on his face as he burrowed closer to her. "She's the one who taught me to dance. The summer before my freshman year of high school, I was bummed because I knew I would have my first high school dance and she noticed. She danced with me every day for a month. When I went back to school that fall, every girl at the Harvest Day dance took a turn around the floor with me, but none of them measured up to her . . . or to you."

Susan waited a few minutes for him to continue before she looked down and noticed his eyes closed. She reached behind her for the blanket she brought into the room with her. After draping the blanket over Lucas, she leaned back and got comfortable. She hoped he would sleep for a long time.

**One Week Later**

Susan found herself at Caroline Thomas' house with Maggie. Right now Lucas was with his father, who was finally able to get him to go out after days in Caroline's house. Susan was glad. Lucas hadn't left the house since the memorial service that was held the day after the funeral. He needed to get away from all the things that reminded him of his grandmother, if only for a few moments.

He still wasn't sleeping through the night. She was worried about him. They had dated for months before Caroline died and while they had shared quite a bit of information about themselves, they were still getting to know each other. The more she learned about him, the more important he became to her. A shuddering breath filled her lungs as she thought of him. Susan knew she was falling in love with him and after hearing Caroline tell her story months ago, she knew that true love, lasting love existed. Could she have that with Lucas? If the feelings that sometimes overwhelmed her were anything to go by, she was already there. Susan was scared, but if she'd learned anything, it was not to give up on love and . . . not to waste time.

"Susan, are you okay?" Maggie asked the question that pulled Susan back to the present. Susan glanced at Maggie, who wore a worried frown.

Susan gave Maggie a small smile and answered, "I'm fine. I was just thinking of Lucas. I worry about him."

Maggie's face brightened at the mention of her son and Susan turned back to the towels she'd been folding.

"I know you're going to think of me as a meddling mother and I know you've only been dating for a few months, but I have to ask," Maggie began. "Do you love my son?"

Susan stopped breathing for a moment at the direct question from Lucas' mom. After a moment, she met Maggie's gaze and replied, "Yes, I do."

Maggie's face brightened even more if that was possible. "I'm so glad." She gave Susan a quick hug and headed back into the kitchen where she was warming one of the many casseroles that filled the refrigerator.

Susan took a deep breath. It was the first time she'd verbalized her feelings for Lucas. It was scary. She'd been with Peter for years and while she loved him, Susan wasn't in love with him. Her heart didn't race just because Peter walked into a room. She'd known Lucas less than a year, been dating him for a short time, but she needed him. After listening to Caroline and Neil's love story, she understood that life didn't stand still. You had to seize the moment, because you never knew how long you had.

"Hey you," Lucas whispered. She jumped, startled as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." She turned in his arms and held him tight. He chuckled briefly, then turned serious after a long moment. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied, still holding him tight. She sighed and then stepped back with a smile pasted on her face. "How was your walk?"

His eyes narrowed as they met hers. Susan knew he wasn't buying the subject change, but she held the smile in place. She couldn't talk to him about her feelings yet.

"The walk was fine," he finally answered. "Dad and I had a good time together. We hadn't taken a walk together in a long time." Lucas pulled away and took her hand in his tugging her to a chair in the corner. Once he took the seat, he pulled her onto his lap. "Now, tell me what's bothering you."

"Nothing," she said shaking her head.

"You're a poor liar," he teased, then continued, "Just tell me. I know I've had a hard time this past week, but just as you've been here for me, I'm here for you."

"I know," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I was just worrying about you."

He smiled at that. "Don't. I'm okay. I just miss Grandma. She spent her whole life taking care of other people and loving my grandfather. I just hoped she'd have some time to enjoy her life."

She chuckled at that. "She did enjoy her life. Caroline loved your grandfather and that love sustained her for 66 years." Susan looked Lucas directly in the eye before she whispered, "We should all be so lucky."

"Some of us are," Lucas replied, cupping her cheek and turning her into a heart stopping kiss.

At Neil Jr.'s cough, they broke apart and Susan pressed her forehead into Lucas' neck.

"Yeah, Dad?" Lucas asked at the interruption.

"Dinner's ready." Neil smirked at his son, who rolled his eyes and ran a hand up Susan's back.

"We'll be right there," Lucas replied to his father, then a few moments later said softly, "He's gone."

Susan lifted her head, merriment evident in her eyes. "I wonder how long he was standing there."

"Doesn't matter," he answered, his eyes serious. "I don't care who knows that I've fallen in love with you."

Tears filled her eyes at his words. A look of panic filled his.

"Hey," he whispered, "I didn't say that to put pressure on you. I just wanted you to know. If you don't feel . . ."

She stopped him with a kiss, pouring all the love she had for him into it.

"What . . .," he trailed off as she placed a finger to his lips.

"I love you, too," she answered

**Five Years Later**

Susan's nostrils were filled with the scent of the red roses Lucas had brought home with him the day before. As she stood up, she glanced out the kitchen window and caught sight of her father-in-law and her husband chasing the twins across the back yard. Susan had to smile at the picture they made.

Maggie stepped up behind her and looked over her shoulder as Lucas grabbed Doug before he could shove a handful of rose petals into his mouth. In the middle of the yard, Neil lifted a laughing Caroline over his head blowing raspberries against her belly. Both men were soaked as the twins had taken off just as the sprinkler had come on.

Sarah Allison joined her daughter and Maggie at the window and all three women sighed at the scene.

"Caroline would have loved this," Maggie said for the tenth time that day, before turning to Sarah. "She loved all the great nieces and her students. She would have been so happy to see Lucas' kids."

"From everything I've heard about Caroline, I wish I could have met her," Sarah said leaning back against the counter.

"I wish you could, too, Mom. She was an amazing woman."

Susan tucked her arm through both of the older women's and moved them into the living room for tea. She and Lucas had changed very little in the Thomas house when they'd moved in four and half years prior. Many of the original pictures on the mantle had been hung on the wall of the staircase and recent family pictures had been added to some prominent pictures of Neil, Caroline, Neil, Jr., Maggie and Lucas.

"Susan," Lucas called from the kitchen, but was practically drowned out by the childish giggles of the twins.

"In the living room," she answered back, rising from her seat and meeting him in the doorway.

"Hey," he said softly, kissing her with their squirming son between them.

"Mama," Doug yelled and grabbed a handful of Susan's hair. That set off his sister. After long moments of kisses and cuddles to both children, Susan was almost as wet as her husband.

"Dad, let me take her and get her dried off," Susan said to Neil, reaching for Caroline who practically jumped into her mother's arms. To the women behind them, she added, "Excuse us. We'll be right back."

She followed her men up to the nursery, stopping at the linen closet to grab a few bath sheets. By the time, she stepped through the door of the nursery, Doug was already naked and had jumped down from his bed and was about to run for the door.

"Douglas Neil Thomas," she said in her best mother voice. He stopped in his tracks. Lucas scooped him up and tossed him back on the bed, which resulted in belly laughs from Doug.

"Thank you," Lucas said over his shoulder.

"No problem," she replied, "Your son is a slippery one."

"And my daughter is a princess. Aren't you Caro?"

"Daddy," she replied with a sweet smile, flashing dimples at her father.

Susan rolled her eyes before remarking, "You are so wrapped around their fingers."

"They're babies. I'll toughen up later."

"Right."

Once the twins were dressed in dry clothes, they were placed in their play pen so their parents could change as well.

As Susan was slipping out of her shirt, Lucas wrapped his arms around her and pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder and said, "Thank you."

"For?" She leaned back into his arms. In the mirror, Susan gazed at the reflection of their entwined fingers and the ruby and diamonds of her wedding set winked at her. She closed her eyes momentarily and relished the feelings that always flooded her when Lucas touched her.

"Loving me," he replied with a kiss to her neck, before he continued, "and allowing me to love you."

Susan turned in his arms and poured all the love she had for him into her kiss.

"What else could I do?" she asked when they pulled apart. "Your grandparents left a profound legacy for all of us." She sighed and rested against him. "I love you more today than yesterday, if that's possible."

"It is. That's the same way I feel about you. You know I always thought my grandmother was deprived of her life. That she never really had a chance to live because she lost my grandfather. Now I understand why my grandmother visited that train station every year. Their love transcended time and place. I'm so glad I got to see that. Between her stories of my grandfather and my parents as an example of what this should be like, we couldn't miss." Lucas tilted her head up and kissed her again. "I love you, Susan."

As they held each other, both of them thought of Caroline. Had it not been for her love and loyalty, they never would have met. They carried her with them always.

"Happy Valentine's Day!"


End file.
